Occupational hazards and health risks in crystalline silicon solar cell industry: a review

The production process of crystalline silicon solar cells is complex and involves multiple stages. The workers in this industry are exposed to not only the traditional occupational hazards but also new pollutants. Given that China is the world's largest producer and user of crystalline silicon solar cells, it's urgent to strengthen research on the occupational hazards and health risks for workers in this industry. Herein, this article described the production process of crystalline silicon solar cells, including upstream, midstream, and downstream industrial chains, and identified the major occupational hazards as well as the health risks in each process. It also proposed research perspectives on hazard identification technology, worker health risk assessment, and the potential health risks of recycling waste crystalline silicon solar cells, aiming to provide the scientific recommendations for safeguarding the occupational health of workers in this industry.